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N0. 609,55l. Patented Aug. 23, I898. B. -P. M. LANG.

NDN-SLIPPING HORSESHOE.

(No Model.)

name A STATES PAT NT much.

BENJAMIN I. M. LANG, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO JACOB M. ROESOH, OF SAME PLACE.

NON-'SLIPPING HORSESHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,551, dated August 23, 1898. Application filed January 14, 1898. Serial No. 666,606. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, BENJAMIN P. M. LANG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Im provement in Non-Slipping Horseshoes, of

Y pery, and which consist, essentially, of a rubber sole which covers the iron shoe and an upper which embraces the hoof.

The object of my invention is to produce an inexpensive shoe of this kind which can be readily adjusted to fit hoofs or horseshoes of different sizes, thus enabling the shoe to be closely fitted to the hoof and requiring comparatively few different sizes of shoes to be manufactured and kept in stock.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of myimproved non-slipping shoe applied to a horses hoof, which latter is shown by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the shoe detached from the hoof, the plane of the section being in line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shoe. Fig. 4. is a fragmentary cross-section in line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is the ordinary iron shoe, secured to the horses hoof in the usual manner.

B is the sole of my improved shoe, which covers the iron shoe A, and B is the upper, which extends upwardly from the edge of the sole and embraces the hoof. The sole is shaped to follow the contour of the iron horseshoe and the base of the hoof and consists of a thick sheet of ordinary india-rubber, the

under side of which is preferably corrugated or otherwise roughened to eifectuallyprevent the animal from slipping on smooth or icy pavements. The upper is also preferably constructed of soft rubber and. molded in one piece with the sole. The upper is inclined to correspond to the inclinations of the toe and the sides of the hoof, and its side portions terminate at the rear edge of the sole, so as to leave the back of the upper open.

The shoe is fastened to the animals foot preferably by a strap 0 and a buckle D,which are arranged, respectively, on the rear portions of the upper, and whereby the latter is tightly drawn around the hoof for retaining the shoe in place. This strap and the tab of the buckle may be formed integral with the upper. V

e is a cavity or depression formed in the upper surface of the sole, near the toe thereof, and adapted to receive the front calk a of the iron horseshoe. The rear calks o, are adapted to overlap or bear against the rear edge of the sole, and the latter is made of the proper length for this purpose.

F is a V-shaped or forwardly-tapering slot or recess formed in the sole of the shoe and extending forwardly from the rear edge thereof. This recess extends through the entire thickness of the sole and allows the frog of the horses. foot to project through the sole and come in contact with the road or pavement, which is desirable. The recess also divides the rear portion ,of the sole into two sections or halves, which by reason of the elasticity of the sole can be contracted or expanded within certain limits for adjusting the same shoe to hoofs of different sizes. The recess is of the proper length and width to admit the frog, and preferably extends forwardly nearly to the calk-recess e. The forwardlyconverging edges of the recess permit the sides and rear portions of the shoe to be easily spread or drawn together, as may be necessary to closely fit the horses hoof, and as the upper is flexible it takes part in this adjust: ment of the shoe. In order to prevent the sole'from puckering or bulging at the apex of the recess in contracting the shoe, an enlargement g, preferably of circular shape, is formed at the apex of the recess, as shown in Fig. 2. The recess is preferably flared downwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, to prevent any snow or ice from lodging or packing in the same.

While I preferto mold the entire shoe in a single piece of rubber, so as to produce a seamless shoe, the upper may consist of leather-or other suitable flexible material, in which latter case the same may be sewed or otherwise fastened to the rubber sole.

My improved shoe can be readily applied to the horses foot in slippery weather without interfering with or requiring the removal of the ordinary iron shoe, and it can be as easily removed when no longer required. It is light and neat in construction and the adjustable feature of the shoe renders its cost no greater than that of a non-adjustable shoe of the same kind.

I claim as my invention- 1. An adjustable horse shoe or boot having a sole consisting of a sheet of flexible material provided with a slot or recess which extends forwardly from the rear edge of the sole and terminates at a distance from the toe or front edge thereof, dividing the sole into two adjustable sections which are connected by the unrecessed front portion of the sole and which can be expanded or contracted for varying the size of the horseshoe and an upper extending upwardly from the edge of said sole, substantially as set forth.

2. An adjustable horseshoe having an elastic sole provided with a V-shaped or forwardlytapering recess which extends forwardly from the rear edge of the sole and which is formed at its apex with an enlargement for preventing puckering of the sole in contracting the shoe, substantially as set forth.

3. An adjustable horseshoe having an elastic sole provided with a V-shaped or forwardlytapering recess which extends forwardly from the rear edge of the sole, dividing the same into two adjustable sections, a flexible upper projecting upwardly from the edge of the sole and terminating at the rear edge of the sole, whereby the back of the upper is left open and a fastening device connecting the rear portions of the upper, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 31st day of December, 1897.

BENJAMIN P. M. LANG. Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, KATHRYN ELMORE. 

